Heart and Soul
by amelieelizabet
Summary: Broken-hearted Ginny Weasley and broken-souled Draco Malfoy are forced together by a prophecy, with a future they cannot control. Can they heal each other and learn to love? GWDM
1. Chapter 1

She ran away from the great hall, sobbing. How could he do this to her? How could she be so blindingly oblivious? She ran away from everything she had witnessed, ran anywhere that she knew he wouldn't follow. She ran to the dungeons.

Draco had missed breakfast, not wanting to feel the glares on his back or the hatred on his spine. He sat in his favourite corner of the hallway, confident he would not be disturbed. That was why he had left the common room. He wasn't welcome there any more.

That was who hated him. Not the bloody Gryffindors, well not the majority anyway. It was the hatred of his fellow housemates that set his teeth on edge. So what he had turned from the Dark? He didn't want to be a blind follower of the Dark Lord; he wanted to have his own life. He knew the Dark Lord would fall, and he didn't want to be tied up in the events. He was brought up by a follower, but Draco Malfoy was most certainly not one himself. He cut off ties with his father, and renounced his claim on the Dark Lord, and now spent his whole year in Hogwarts. He didn't have a home to go to, no friends he could burden with the possibility of an attack. He was safer, everyone was safer, if he just stayed, cowering in these halls.

Ginny shot through the corridors of the Slytherin haunts, trying to calm herself down. It didn't work. Every time she did Harry's face would just come floating back into her mind, grinning as he moved in too kiss Romilda Vane. He didn't have any thought for her, poor Ginny, just a libido completely insatiable. Suddenly she stumbled over something, sending her sprawling to the floor.

Draco hated his life. He hated what he had become. He hated himself, his school, his family, what they stood for; he just wanted it all to end. His arms itched from last night's session. He knew he had to change the bandages soon, he knew he had to steal Sev's healing balm if he was to go to potions tomorrow. Today he just couldn't give a damn.

Then there was a blur of red hitting his legs and flying through the air, landing in an undignified heap on the ground. He was shocked to see it was an extremely distressed Ginny Weasley. He had seen that look before, it was heartbreak.

"Weasley, are you okay?" he asked before he could stop himself. He had always admired the fiery woman, always thought she was admirable. . She looked so very lost, so very alone. But then she realised who it was that was taking to her and her face hardened into a mask.

"Malfoy. What are you doing, sitting in a hallway for anyone to trip over you?" she sneered in a way that would make Sev proud.

"I sit in this _darkened_ corner of the hall, minding my own business when you run into my legs!" he felt himself growing angry so started listing potions in his mind, a trick his godfather taught him. It worked and he turned once more to the poor sixth year. "Look I just wanted to know whether you were okay. You hit the floor pretty hard there and something's gotta hurt… sorry for being concerned." He got up, yanked her to her feet and walked off. Of course the whole storming off effect was rather ruined by the fact he had been a gentleman to her by giving her a hand up, but he would never turn away from the good sense of propriety his mother gave him. Oh, how he missed his mother. He could not believe she was gone forever, one of the only anchors in his life. He wandered aimlessly towards the astronomy tower, debating whether to jump off. Sev wouldn't like it, father would be most disgraced, and Professor Dumbledore would be… disconcerted. And there would be a lot of blood. He sighed, instead deciding just to have a quick nap up there. Just a short rest, he had potions third. The one lesson he didn't want to miss, aside from charms. He hoped that somewhere in the world there was a Charms Master willing to take him on as apprentice or he'd be stuck working for the grumpy git he called godfather. No, that was unfair. Severus, despite his grumbling and complaints, was a better father figure than Lucius had ever been. He had healed Draco's cuts, fixed broken bones, taught him how to deal with his father and most importantly taught him the defensive spells that had saved his life and that of his mother's several times over. Just that one time when he wasn't fast enough…

No. Sev told him not to blame himself for something he had no control over. He just lay, curled up in the corner of the Tower, and fell slowly to sleep.

She had followed his fast pace away from her, wondering where the poor, haunted boy would go. She heard the Gryffindor teasing, she listened to the rumours that Draco Malfoy was an outcast but until today she had never seen proof. He really was alone.

She knew she had been cruel when she fell over him. She knew she had to apologise. She just hoped she could catch him before she had to go to lessons.

She followed him all the way to the Astronomy Tower, worried he was going to jump off and for one moment, it looked as though he was going to. But then, from where Ginny was standing in the shadows, she saw his shoulders slump… tears start streaming unnoticed down his face, and she saw him curl up in the dank corner of the tower and fall asleep. It was in no way restful. He twisted and turned, thrashed and yelled. But Ginny approached regardless, trying to calm the tormented soul. Once she had reached him she tentatively placed a hand on his arm, and he quieted. She Summoned a thick cloak from her room and draped it over him; no cold should torment him further. He had enough on his plate without having to deal with sickness/. She then left, making her way to her favourite lesson; Charms.

_A woman approached him from the mist. She was dressed in white dress robes, her platinum hair cascading down her back. She had flint blue eyes and an aristocratic face, her posture tall and proud. Draco gasped and fell to his knees when he realised who it was._

"_Mother?" he choked. Tears fell, unbidden, down his face. When Narcissa reached him she pulled him into her arms and held him close._

"_My darling Draco. I have missed you so very much." Her musical voice caressed his ears, his mind, his soul. It calmed him down until he stopped struggling for breath._

""_Mother, what are you doing in my dream? Am I dead?" he asked, looking around him. He saw they were at crossroads, in a beautiful picturesque countryside covered in snow. It was just like his mother to be in a heaven of snow; she loved it._

"_No, my dear, you are not dead. I have rejoined my sisters in the Have, a place of Oracle's and Seers. You must visit there with me; we have a great prophecy for you."_

"_But, mother… I got you killed. I…"_

"_No, Draco, you saved me for far longer than I expected. It was a miracle that I had lived for so long with that Tyrant but whatever you do, my love, do not blame yourself for my passing. I am happier here, with my family, making prophecies like I was born to do. I prefer my ethereal form to that ghastly human body; so clumsy and awkward. I don't have to hide what I am and what I do here, and I can still watch over and protect you. But let us go, we have little time. I can see Severus getting worried that you're not in Potions already." They quickly moved away from the crossroads, Narcissa leading the way. It was not long before they arrived in front of a massive ornate cathedral. They stepped inside._

_The beauty was none like Draco had ever seen. There were angelic women dotted around the enormous hall, reading or talking to each other quietly. It was so… peaceful. So Pure. Draco suddenly felt very dirty, very evil in his black suit and robes. He self consciously smoothed his hair and straightened his back. They glided through the ladies, looking at them in greeting. To his surprise they all rose and kissed him on the cheek. They all told him how god it was to finally meet the one who had sacrificed so much for the good of the people. He was blushing tomato red by the end of the ordeal._

_As they moved to the centre of the room a pillar started to appear. It held a single milky ball and Draco inhaled sharply. His father had told him what these were. His father had almost been killed for failing to get one. It was a prophecy._

"_Open it, Draco," The women whispered. The young man looked to his mother for guidance and she simply smiled. It was her 'Do what you think is right in your heart' smile. So he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and touched the globe._

"_**Draco Malfoy," **__The prophecy announced. __**"Son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Whyte. You are destined for great and powerful things. You will find your true love in the house whose traits you have most yet still most desire, a woman of passion and ambition but beware; she has a delicate, fractured heart. One false move and it will shatter completely. There is one condition; you must find her and make her love you or you will perish. You will help the Three defeat the one most hated and in return gain their respect. Make no mistake, son of darkness, your life will not be any easier than it is now, but you will have your soul mate with you to strengthen you. Keep the father of your heart and mind close for he may need you this year, more than ever. Fare well, son of truth."**_

_There was silence in the room before it broke out in applause. Narcissa held her weeping son to her chest, soothing him and rubbing his back. He had such a burden to bear but she knew he would bear it well. She also knew he had to leave now as Severus was coming to look for him in the Tower. Potions was very much over and he was worried. Narcissa smiled; at least her darling was being well looked after by _someone_._

"_Draco? You must leave us now, my love, but stay strong for me, okay?" he nodded, stricken._

"_Do I have to leave, mother? Can't I stay here with you? My life is so miserable without you; I don't want to go anywhere you are not. I don't understand why Lucius was allowed to live yet you had to die. It's not fair!" His shouts were muffled into his mother's shoulder as she held him. _

"_Dragon," she whispered his nickname. "You heard the prophecy; you have a true love and a destiny. And what was the first lesson I ever taught you?" She laughed as they repeated it in unison. "_Never keep a woman waiting_. Exactly, my sweet. If you keep this fragile girl waiting her heart will break and you will pass. You wouldn't be able to be here with me though Draco, you would pass on. So go and live your life, find your love and right the wrongs in the world. You may have been born in darkness, Draco Malfoy, but you are one hundred percent light."_

"_Thank you mother, for bringing me here and showing me my future. But there is one thing I don't understand; why did it call you Narcissa Whyte? You were a Black before a Malfoy..." His mother shook her head._

"_I was never a Black. I am an Oracle and therefore my surname was my soul colour; in this case white however in the language of the Oracle its Whyte. As I was 'born' into the mortal world it just so happened that the surname given to me was Black. All is in the past now, Draco. Here. Take this symbol of the oracle and of my love to you." She took off her necklace and Draco started to protest._

"_Mum, no! You never took that off and you shouldn't now! I don't deserve something so dear to you!"She hushed him gently and pushed the pendant into his hand._

"_Draco, I need you to have it. It has a connection to me through it and it would mean so much to me if you would have it. I love you so much my son, and I want you to know that every second of every day. You must leave now, Draco, now! Remember, I love you!" There was no time to say anything for the next thing he knew, they were all gone._


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Chapter 2 up already! I hope you like this story, check out my other one **A Twisted World**, an SSHG fic. Oh yeah, **DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE PLOTS IN MY HEAD AND THE WISHES OF MY HEART.** it pains me greatly to have to say that but I cannot in any way pretend I am as good as the woman herself.

* * *

"Draco? Draco, get up! God, man, what were you doing?" Severus shook the young boy awake. Stupid dunderhead was asleep in the freezing cold Astronomy Tower! What was he thinking? Why wasn't he in lessons?

"What? Sev? What are you... where am I? What... Oh!" Draco sat up suddenly, remembering everything he had experienced in his dreams. He leapt to his feet; not knowing there was a robe around him and, getting it tangled in his feet, and fell back to the floor with a thump. He groaned.

"Well you missed my lesson, I ask your other professors and they haven't seen you either. Why the hell were you asleep in the Tower? Why the hell haven't you done a full day of school since the beginning of term? It's a week to Christmas for Merlin's sake, Draco! I worry about you! Ever since the summer when... well we both know exactly what happened. Ever since then you draw away from everyone else, you refuse to attend to your basic needs and you destroy yourself. Yes, Draco, I know about the cutting. I see your blood stained shirts and the pain your movements give you. I also know about the thievery of my stores. Nice work, by the way, leaving a Gryffindor tie in there, I found young Mr Whitewick, deducted 150 points and gave him a month's detention." Severus smirked. Draco just looked puzzled.

"If you knew, Uncle Sev, why haven't you stopped me? Why are you congratulating me on framing an innocent first year instead of punishing me?" Draco carefully untangled his legs from the robe and stood, folding it over his arm. "You know what, I have to go. I may see you at dinner. Bye, Professor." He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand on the arm.

"Draco, I know how hard everything has been on you. I had hoped you would eventually come to speak to me about your problems but if you hadn't I was going to confront you soon anyway. Today was just a catalyst. I care for you, Draco, like you were my own son. It just pains me to see that you cannot trust anyone. I also know from Mr Zabini that you no longer frequent the common room, let alone sleep there. Where do you sleep now?" Draco looked down.

"The halls." He muttered. Severus gave him a stern look.

"Now there will be none of that. You are, from this moment on, sleeping in my guest rooms. You are to eat with me in my chambers for all three meals of the day and although I cannot place a ban on your wand for slicing charms I will be checking your arms, legs and torso for lacerations. You will go to every lesson and do your homework in my study. I will force you out of this depression, Draco, if it costs me my life. I will not have you ruining your life like I did mine." Severus grasped his shoulder. "You are the son I never had, and I have always treated you as such. I would very much like, in your eyes at least, to take over the official title of father for you, and I will adopt you in front of the ministry if I have to. Do not punish yourself for your father's mistakes, Draco; it is not your burden to bear." Draco felt a lump rise in his throat and hugged his stoic godfather on impulse.

"Thank you," he choked out.

"That's okay, Draco." Severus replied quietly.

* * *

After getting settled in the guest chambers of Severus' rooms, Draco finally looked at the cloak that was covering him while he slept. He knew he did not put it there himself, and it certainly smelt intoxicating. He looked at the label and his eyes widened; _Ginny Weasley, Gryffindor_. That was not good at all. She had seen him up in the tower, witnessed Merlin knows how much of his vulnerability. But she had been kind, laying her robe over him to ward off the chill. She had been caring. She hadn't taunted him, hadn't tricked him or taken advantage of his sleeping form. She had simply covered him and left. He should return it to her immediately, but how? He couldn't just go up to the sixth year and hand over her robe; it would draw up too many awkward questions from her friends. No. He would do this the Slytherin way. Now, until breakfast...

* * *

Ginny sat down at the Gryffindor table with Neville and Dean. She ignored Harry's hurt looks, instead throwing herself into revising for the Potions test she had first thing. Neville looked at the book with horror.

"Oh, Neville, calm down! It's only a book, not the Dungeon Bat himself. If it was it certainly wouldn't be lying on my table next to you, it would be sneering at you from down its haughty nose..." A parcel landed in front of Ginny, deposited by an obsidian Horn Owl which circled her head before flying back off. She had no idea who the parcel was from and judging by the predatory bird that had delivered it she was hesitant to open it. Well, until the pompous idiot that was Harry Potter came bounding over.

"Ginny, don't you open that! You put it down you could get hurt! It could be from a dark wizard hell bent on killing you! I'll open it, make sure it's safe, and then give it back to you. We all know you aren't all that good at defence. Let me just-" Ginny cut the boy off with a glare. She rose to her feet, clutching her parcel.

"Harry James Potter you get away from me right now. You have no business interfering with other people's lives and I swear to you if you so much as move to touch this parcel I will hex you into next month. I seem to remember being one of the best in the DA so don't start about my lack of skills in that area. Back. Off." With that she sat back down, waiting until the fool had left the hall.

Timidly she picked at the seal of the parcel. She did want to open it but trepidation was powerful to overcome and it took her a moment to pluck up her Gryffindor bravery. Wand at the ready, she opened the parcel.

Nothing sprung at her. No curse hit her. Merely her robe spilled out of the paper and pooled in her lap. She picked it up, wondering how one of her cloaks had gotten in the post, when a tiny card fell from the folds. It read _Thank you. X_. She gasped. This was the cloak she had covered Draco with when he had fallen asleep! Looking over at his lone corner of the Slytherin table she found his eyes fixed on her. Grey meeting blue, their eyes met and her heart stopped. He was strangely... beautiful. He smiled slightly and the heart that had stopped picked up its beat twice as fast. Her mouth dried and her cheeks heated but she never dropped his gaze. She was transfixed.

"Ginny! Who was the parcel from?" Neville asked, snapping her out of her stupor. She shook herself, looking away from the blond man. _He would only break your heart like Harry did. Save yourself the pain, employ the policies of the Snape._ She cooled her heart and shielded her mind, hiding her heart away in the deepest recesses of her soul. Looking at the Herbology lover she smiled.

"Oh, just another robe from Madame Malkins and a thank you for being such a good customer. I lost my last winter cloak somewhere... probably in the room of requirement. Anyway, Neville, we must get to class. I have Potions first so wish me luck!" Instead of realising the joke Neville pulled the fiery Weasley into a hug.

"I promise to lead the search party if you aren't out in the courtyard at lunch." Neville stated boldly. Ginny laughed, hugging him back. It was really a shame there was nothing between them; he was the type of guy to stay true. It didn't matter. She would live her life a recluse and deny her mother the pleasure of her only daughter's children. No matter.

* * *

She had looked at him. He didn't care how furious Severus would be; he had to skip breakfast in their chambers to see her reaction. It was better than he ever could have hoped. She had looked directly at him and had reacted to his small smile, producing one of her own. He could let his defences down around her and for some reason she seemed even more beautiful that morning than usual. He could feel the comforting weight of his mother's pendant on his chest and wondered whether Ginny Weasley was the woman the Oracle was talking about.

Then Longbottom interrupted their... moment. Ginny had looked away and not looked back, instead getting up to leave and being pulled into a passionate hug with the moron. It stabbed his soul. He had thought that they had a connection and the as soon as he was letting his heart rule he saw her discard him for a Gryffindor. Draco had left the Hall soon after, choosing to go down to the Potions rooms to apologise for skipping breakfast in favour of a seemingly wasteful breakfast in the hall, not that he had eaten anything. He was too busy worrying about how Ginny would react. Whether she would go straight to her friends and whine about the freaky Slytherin outcast bugging her, whether she would just ignore him, whether the kiss on the end was too much. It turned out none of the above, just a hint of an acknowledgement before turning back to the people she actually gave a damn about.

He reached the dungeon room that the Potions Master held his classes in and threw open the door, storming in. Trust his emotions to put him in a bad mood and knowing him Severus would be able to read him like a book, finding out that it the reason for his foul behaviour and rude dismissal was because of a Gryffindor girl. Draco schooled his emotions into a peaceful mask before approaching the Professor who was at his desk, looking down at a book in his lap.

"Uncle Sev. Sorry for missing breakfast this morning, I just thought that the day after I missed a bunch of classes it would be best to show my face and make sure no one thought anything of it." He waited for the teacher to raise his head but the curtain of black hair continued to cover his face. There was no movement from the older man and Draco shifted. Even if this was some sort of punishment it was not Severus' way to do things. Too obvious. Too... not Slytherin.

That was when he realised there was _absolutely_ no movement from the man. None at all. Not even the rise and fall of his shoulders to indicate breathing. Draco did a very un-Malfoy thing and panicked. Tipping Severus' head back, he gasped.

His face was covered in bruises and cuts, his eye swollen shut and his lip bleeding. He was unconscious and what little parts of his lips that were not covered in blood were turning blue. Fast.

"Shit!" Draco yelled, struggling to pull out his wand to levitate the Professor. If he didn't get the poor man to the infirmary now, he knew that he would die.

"M-Malfoy?" Ginny's voice resounded through the room, bringing relief soaring through Draco's soul. He calmed down and freed his wand, quickly casting a Hover Charm on his godfather.

"Ginny, thank Merlin. You seem to be my good luck charm. Look, Potions classes are cancelled today due to the need to get Professor Snape to the Hospital Wing immediately. Do you think you could take over the hover charm for me? I need to open up his private rooms and access the Floo to take him over there..." Ginny rushed over to the Slytherins, not caring about House Rivalry and such. There was a man whose life was in danger and she would eat Merlin's rotten beard before she let petty squabbles get in the way.

"Draco, you run ahead, I've got the charm. I'll start taking him across but I'll have to be slow, avoiding all the stuff in the room. Lucky for you, charms is my strongest subject." He nodded once then shot to the other side of the classroom and dashed behind the door. Ginny carefully followed, weaving around tables and levitating the Professor over cauldrons. Draco quickly took down the wards hiding the door to the private rooms then set about undoing the ones preventing anyone apart from the two of them from entering.

"Draco, he's losing colour quickly!" Ginny called, glancing worriedly at the poor man beside her. She cast a non-verbal Stasis charm and hoped it would help stem the bleeding. Draco tore down the wards, not caring that anyone could get in; he would send Ginny ahead to the Infirmary and put them back up. He just needed to get Severus to help, fast.

"The wards are down, go through!" he yelled at her as she reached him. She flinched back at the harsh tone but knew that it was worry for his godfather that made him like that. Still, the heartbroken romantic that had formed an instant attachment to him inside of her silently wept at the negative emotions emanating from him. She rushed through the door and started immediately for the fireplace, grabbing the Floo powder from where it stood by the sofa. Lowering Professor Snape into the fireplace she looked to the distressed seventh year.

"Follow me, Draco, after you've done the wards. I'll stay with him until you get there, I won't leave his side." She promised. He looked marginally better and nodded. She Flooed to the infirmary and shouted.

"Madame Pomfrey!" there was no answer so Ginny placed the professor on the nearest bed. Conjuring her Patronus she told it to find Poppy Pomfrey and tell her Professor Snape urgently needed help in the Hospital wing.

It was difficult, practising healing charms on a patient when one had no training and was still in school but Ginny Weasley was not weak and she did not give up. She worked over the Professor, healing gashes and bruises, setting broken bones and generally cleaning up the beaten and bruised spy.

"Severus, what's wrong?" Madame Pomfrey burst into the Wing, looking around for the black hair and robes of her companion. She thought it odd that a student was the one sending the Patronus but she hurried just in case. Then she saw the flame hair of a Weasley and the Professor's prone form lying on the bed.

"Madame Pomfrey, I still can't get him to breathe!"

* * *

AN: Oh no! will poor Sev die? How will Draco react to the fact that Ginny was there?

Please Review, just press the little button down there. It means a lot to me to know what my readers thing of what I write and I'll take into account anything people say, even criticism. Hell, if you feel like making a suggestion then if it gets put into the story that chapter gets a dedication to you (so if you don't have an account be sure to leave some form of name)


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Chapter 3 dedicated to Cissy Chhoi!

* * *

Poppy Pomfrey had worked on many patients, healed a multitude of injuries and witnessed an assortment of miracles. She was, after all, the school nurse. But one thing she had never seen in her life was a student, working on a patient with a multitude of injuries, praying for a miracle. It was simply indescribable. To think that one of the children at Hogwarts cared enough about the Dungeon Bat to save his life, especially when the child in question was one of his most hated students…

"Please, Madame Pomfrey, I can't get him healed fast enough on my own! I only know a selection of healing charms and I can't get to your potions!" Ginny cried. She didn't want to let the poor Potions Professor die simply because she was spiting him for bullying her and every other student in the school bar Slytherins. She had to save his life; after all, how much more important was it than hers?

"Of course, my dear. Keep calm and continue with the first class treatment you are administering and I will collect the potions needed. What would you suggest?" Poppy asked carefully as she bustled through the hospital wing. With all her experience as a nurse she knew exactly how Miss Weasley was feeling and how she would react to having unknown potions tipped down the throat of her patient. Consulting her was the best course of action, gently correcting inaccuracies and suggesting extra actions while letting her know she was still in charge of caring for the man.

"Blood replenishing potion, a strong pain draught, some skin replenishing potion and one for internal injuries. I don't know many more Madame Pomfrey, I haven't looked into depth at Healing Potions. What else do you think?" Yes, Poppy thought, this girl has Healer's blood in her. Making a note to speak to the Headmaster about an apprenticeship, the woman replied.

"Other than a calming draught for when he has woken, I think that you have Professor Snape in good care. Well done, Miss Weasley, Severus will be very proud of you and grateful, even if he doesn't seem any different. I'll get the potions now." The tired sixth year smiled weakly, continually working over her teacher. She would not let these Slytherins down.

* * *

Draco was close to collapsing. He was so tired; the wards his godfather had put up took a lot of energy to take down and even more to replace. He was only half way through re-warding and already felt exhausted. If he kept this up... he'd never get to see if Sev was okay before he passed out. But he had to finish or else someone could break into the chambers and completely wreck every tiny thing personal to the careful spy. It was rare for the man to own things that could possibly incriminate him in any way so those few photographs, fictional books, journals or furnishings were all the more important.

"Nearly done..." he panted, throwing up the strongest wards he could. Black spots were appearing in his vision but he soldiered on. "One last... _celare conspectus_," On the door, before he collapsed.

* * *

"Well done, Miss Weasley, you've successfully stabilised your patient. If you would like to rest the Floo can take you to any fireplace in the castle; you are sure to be completely exhausted. I will speak to Professor Dumbledore and you will be excused from lessons until the weekend. Is there anything you need?" The proud Healer patted Ginny on the shoulder and directed her to the Floo. The poor girl shook her head yet said the strangest directive. She Flooed to the Potions Master's rooms.

Ginny was mentally fatigued, all her magical energy spent on saving the teacher. She couldn't do a single thing with her magic without completely dropping to Squib level. It was rare for a person to be so completely drained and when it occurs, from what Ginny heard from Hermione, it was extremely dangerous to do anything remotely magic. She should rest as much as she could but part of her was worried that Draco hadn't shown up in the six hours she had been working over his godfather. He had to have stayed, something must have happened to him to have delayed him so severely. She stepped from the Floo into the Potions Professor's private rooms, just as the blonde haired angel fell to the floor. She rushed forwards to catch Draco as he fell and managed to stop him from cracking his head open on the cold stone floor. He was freezing and unconscious, shivering and sweating. Cold sweat. He was truly drained, like she was. She glanced around frantically, trying to find somewhere close to put him and for her to rest herself; there was only so much physical energy left in her and carrying the lanky seventh year would be a huge strain on her reserves.

_There._ There was a sofa and wing backed armchair next to the fireplace, a pile of blankets folded neatly on the edge. Ginny dragged Draco up and staggered with him over to the furniture, making sure he was safely over the sofa before letting him drop onto it. She lifted his legs up too, pulled a thick blanket over him, grabbed one for herself and just managed to fall into the chair before sinking into unconsciousness herself.

* * *

It had been a long time since Draco had slept properly. He was a heavy insomniac and his ostracism from his house had made sleeping properly all the more dangerous. He survived on maybe an hour or two's worth of sleep a night, spread out over the darkness so he was never unaware for more than fifteen minutes at a time.

But when he woke, feeling more refreshed than he had since his mother died yet feeling oddly weak at the same time, he didn't feel the familiar sense of panic or paranoia that accompanied his relative homelessness. He opened his bleary eyes to survey his surroundings; Severus' chambers. Why was he there? Suddenly he remembered the events of the past few days and shot up. Where was Sev? Why was Draco not with him? Terror surged through him as he glanced around, still not fully gripped with reality. Then his eyes landed on the soft, sleeping form of Ginny Weasley. She was pale and drawn, tired and breathing shallowly. Draco folded his form beside her, watching her sleep as he realised that it was this woman who had taken Severus to the Hospital Wing, and had evidently come back here and scraped him off the floor after he had collapsed. Gratitude flowed through him at her determination, and bizarrely, at her Gryffindor qualities. If she were in any other house she would not have done half as much as she had. But then again she would still be who she was, and as confusing as the sentiment was, he knew that Ginny would never have been placed in another house due to the fact that her personality was such an embodiment of her house. If she was not a Lion, she would not be Ginny and if she was not Ginny, Draco wouldn't have been attracted to her in the first place and trusted her to be there, meaning she wouldn't have had the chance to take the choice between helping him and leaving him. Draco smiled to himself; even for a Gryffindor this girl really was something.

"No, leave him... please... it's not fair... no take me instead... no!" she cried, starting to thrash. Worried, Draco placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "No! I did it not him! Leave... no! Draco!" She started sobbing and with some effort, the young man shook her awake.

"Ginny! Ginny, it's Draco, calm down. Whatever it was, it must have been a dream," Draco soothed, rubbing small circles into her shoulder. She gasped and threw herself at him, crying. "Hey, what's this all about? Shh... It's okay... calm... breathe..." he was rather out of his depth but as she hugged him tightly the pendant around his neck warmed, sending reassurance through him. _It's Ginny... Ginny's the one!_ The knowledge sent tingles through him and lightened his heart. His suspicions had been correct. Well, at least it was a girl he was well on the way to having serious feelings for. But then he remembered the other part of the Oracle's words; _make her love you_. Shit. Ginny Weasley would never love him. The realisation of a lost cause was like a stone in his stomach. His prophecy was impossible. It was all a sick joke. He was destined to die.

Ginny was in hysterics. Her dream had felt so real. She had seen Draco being tortured for saving Professor Snape, being hit with the _cruciatus _over and over and over... she had screamed, begged for Voldemort to stop, for the Death Eaters to stop but they continued, they physically abused him and cast curse after curse his way. Soon he stopped moving. It was heartbreaking. Ginny had shrieked but he didn't move, he was just sprawled across the floor, staring blankly up into the night's sky, eyes glassy. But then she had woken, Draco had been in front of her, soothing her, comforting her. He was alive, he was unharmed, and it had been nothing but a dream. She had launched herself at him, so extremely relieved at the fact none of what she had seen had been real, completely sure in her new found knowledge; she had, somehow, fallen in love with the former Slytherin Prince. It was unexpected and completely agonising; after all, who would love a freckly, ginger, blood traitor? Not such a fine specimen of the Pureblood race like Draco Abraxas Malfoy. But Ginny was also confused; not one day ago she had been completely heartbroken, sworn off men and an enemy of Draco's but now he was holding her in his arms, she was in love with him and never wanted to leave the security of his embrace.

"Ginny, hey, tell me what's wrong, calm down Red, calm... Shh, there, it's okay," He murmured to her. Draco relished the feeling of her in his arms; she fit perfectly. Whatever had haunted her in her dreams was quite obviously traumatising and had something to do with him. Curious. "I'm here, you can tell me, hey, hey, no, don't cry, shh..." in all honesty there was nothing he could recollect in all his etiquette lessons about how to deal with a crying woman. He decided just to whisper sweet comforting words in her ear as he rocked her, soothing the fright and tension out of her.

"T-thank you, D-Draco... I'm sorry... I... I had a n-nightmare," she snuffled eventually, wiping her tears. He just shook his head and continued rocking, brushing aside her thanks unless she was ready to move away. When she made no move to stop him, he replied.

"All of us have our own 'Bete Noire', whether it is bats, or the dark, or heights, or spiders. We face them, though, and even though they scare us we gain strength from being able to survive through it. I don't think you're weak, Ginny," he said when he saw the look on her face. "Your dream was evidently horrific and yet you have still managed to retain your dignity and collect yourself. It's nothing short of amazing." These calmly spoken words pulled at the red head's heart, and she snuggled closer to the Ice Prince.

"I saved him for you, Draco," she whispered into his neck. When she felt him tense under her she knew he had interpreted her correctly. "We, Madame Pomfrey and I, managed to stabilise him and get him to sleep. He's going to be in the infirmary for a few days yet but he should be fine."

As soon as Little Red had mentioned Severus Draco had stiffened; he had completely pushed his godfather out of his mind. He had put the wellbeing of a fellow Slytherin and a member of his family below that of a Gryffindor Blood Traitor Enemy. He had betrayed his house. He had betrayed Severus.

"I've got to go, Miss Weasley. If you would be so kind to remove yourself from my lap and follow me through the Floo to the Hospital Wing, you may leave. It was folly returning to these rooms when you knew that I was restoring the wards, meaning you would be unable to leave the normal way. Now, Weasel," his tone was cold and his eyes harsh as he peeled her off him. Standing up, he didn't even glance back at her before disappearing into the Floo network.

Her heart was breaking all over again. He had just left, just pushed her away from him and walked away. Ginny gasped for breath as her throat and chest tightened. _He doesn't want you, just like Harry didn't want you,_ a little voice in her head whispered maliciously. She felt so stupid. She had taken down her defences, let him in, gave her healing heart to him and he had crushed it mercilessly in the palm of his hand, tossing it to the floor and _leaving_.

Ginny drew herself up from the floor, wiping away the newly formed tears. She would not let him see how much he hurt her; she was a Gryffindor. She would stay strong behind the mask and appear unaffected by him. When she left the Infirmary, once she was away from everyone was when she could cry. Then, and only then.

"Hospital Wing," She stated, feeling the tug of the Floo as she threw the powder down. Then she was in the white room, the room smelling of disinfectant, the room with the haunting memories. And, turning her gaze, she could see Professor Snape lying on the bed, pale as the sheets he was on, but awake. Kneeling next to him, head bowed, shoulders shaking, was Draco. Ginny moved to escape the emotional scene but before she could Madame Pomfrey bustled over.

"Miss Weasley, just the woman I was hoping to see! Professor Snape is wide awake, as you can see, and I thought you may want to see how he is doing. I know it must be unnerving to have the protective feelings and the need to check on him, but as a Healer you will experience these emotions. Come, come, he will want to thank you in some way or another," The Mediwitch dragged her across the room to the surly professor, chattering away. When they reached him, she spoke up. "Severus, you of course know Ginny Weasley; she was the girl who saved your life," Poppy had never been so proud.

"Ah, yes, Miss Weasley. Good to see you do not follow after your brothers in your capabilities, as well as your sense of righteousness. I suppose I should say thank you, Miss Weasley." He rasped, not used to the lack of silky voice. Ginny was purely stunned. She had just been thanked by the man who hated her most in the school? No. Way.

"It was nothing, Professor. In all honesty D-I mean Mr Malfoy is the reason why I was able to save you; if he hadn't been in your classroom at the time when I walked in I would not have disturbed you; I haven't the audacity. Thus, you would have been in a more critical condition and possibly past the help I was able to give," Draco's head snapped up and Ginny's heart clenched to see his tear-stained face.

"Well in that case it was a joint effort and I commend you on your honesty, Miss Weasley. In a rare moment of insanity, 100 points to Gryffindor, to be dyed Gold to show that these points were awarded for life-saving, and with SS emblazoned on them to show that I was the one to award them." This completely shocked all three people gathered around the bed. Severus Snape, brusque Bat of the Dungeons, had just awarded a large amount of points to a Gryffindor, and let the whole school know about it!

"Thank you, Professor. I had better be going, though, now that I can see you are well; I am not needed or wanted here. Good day," She turned and walked from the room, willing herself not to break out into a run. The day had gotten odd. Very, very odd.

Draco stared after Little Red, remorse clenching his gut. He had royally screwed that one up, that's for sure.

"Draco," Severus called softly. He turned to look at his godfather, a crazy look in his watery eyes. "You love her, don't you?"

* * *

AN: Please Review!


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Just a note in reply to my lovely reviewer, GMM, thank you! __**This chapter's dedicated to you**__ and I just thought I'd clear up your uncertainties.  
The reason why they love each other already is because of the Prophecy but I think it would be a bit clearer to say that even though the Oracle said it would be difficult to get Ginny to fall in love with Draco that's not entirely the case; the problem he will encounter is his own mistrust of everyone, his low sense of self-worth, and Ginny's heartbreak. These problems, plus the house divide, force them apart. Oh yes, not to mention the Slytherin-Hating Harry and Ron, of course. The main point is that Ginny and Draco have fallen in love with the other but they couldn't stop it, and the challenge is to realise that their love isn't a lost cause, that the other does love them back. They're both very stubborn though and it will take some time..._

"I... No we... I mean... Gods Sev, do you have to?" Draco stammered. How could he know? How could he have figured out in a five minute conversation what it took Draco a trauma to realise? A conversation, he added to himself, that he didn't even participate in. Infuriating man.

"Draco, I could see it in your eyes when you looked up at her, and the way you refused to speak to her. You also didn't hold up that stupid Malfoy facade you normally put on for the rest of the world. Good thing too, otherwise I wouldn't have seen your affections and your remorse. What did you do to her, by the way?" Damn. Severus Snape was too perceptive for his own good. Draco sighed then looked to the ground.

"I may have let her get close to me, and then shoved her away... maybe?" Draco felt guilty as he lifted his glance up and gazed sheepishly at his godfather, leaving out the forgetting him part.

"Ah, so this would be last night and this morning, when instead of being by my side you emerge at an ungodly hour of the morning dishevelled and upset, as though you had just remembered that your closest friend was in critical condition in the hospital wing? Draco," Severus let out an uncharacteristic bark of laughter at the shock on his godson's face. "I am a spy. I have to be observant or quick, or else I die. I know things and see things no one else would see. I also know that if that necklace is what I think it is, and I'm pretty sure I'm not wrong here, then you have no choice but to love her and her to love you, due to that necklace being your mothers that she wore when she was buried and is the sign of the Oracle. Congratulations on that, son." Rather overwhelmed, the blonde sat back. "I only wish she would visit me in my sleep, reassure me of her happiness." The pain on his face was evident, and so Draco patted his godfather's shoulder but decided not to comment on the rare display of heart-emotion.

"I'm not even going to pretend to understand how you became so psychic, Sev. Yes, mother visited me in my sleep, that day in the Astronomy Tower, led me to my prophecy, which told me I would fall in love with Ginny, have to get her to love me, and help the Golden Trio rid the world of Voldemort or I would die. It seems a third of that I've already accomplished, though I didn't really have a chance to think otherwise, however the rest seems... well futile for want of a better word. I let her get too close, Sev, and it scared me that I could push everything important out of my mind and become completely absorbed in her. I had to hurt her with the Malfoy act, as you do, and escape. I'm so sorry." He was so ashamed of himself. His actions had caused more trouble that anything else.

"Dunderhead! Why are you apologising to me, when Miss Weasley is the one you offended and hurt; remember Dragon that she is a Gryffindor and so you have evidently hurt her deeply, or she wouldn't have hidden behind that very Slytherin mask. I have a feeling, though, that I know where she will be. Where did you meet her that made a difference, when there was a sign of affection left by either one of you?" Draco shook his head, trying to relive the memories...

"We first met in the halls, but she hated me then, so why would she go there... there was the potions room... I don't think there was anywhere else." Severus sighed.

"I'm not stupid or extremely unobservant, Draco, as I proved earlier. Whose cloak was it that you were covered with that day on the Astronomy Tower?" He rolled his eyes when the young boy jumped up.

"Ginny's! I-She-She's the one that put the cloak on me, it was her cloak, and it was affection, Sev she's on the Tower. MY GOD SEV SHE'S ON THE TOWER!" he screamed, panicking now. Severus rolled his eyes.

"Calm down Draco, she won't kill herself, not even over you; she's a Gryffindor remember? Now before you go tearing up there, through the halls I suggest you calm yourself and reassume the Malfoy Mask or else your carefully crafted reputation will be destroyed if you went out there looking like you do. There's a mirror down there," he gestured to the end of the Wing. "Be fast. I cannot say what she'll do if you leave her to her own devices for too long but the longer you leave her the worse this situation will get." Draco nodded and hugged the stoic man before racing off to find the mirror. Hair quickly sorted, he was off.

"Move out of the way, Prefect here, Mr Smith I suggest if you want to keep your fingers that you remove your tongue from that girl, now move," The cycle repeated itself as Draco glided towards the Tower, mask of serenity in place. Inside, however, he was screaming. Couldn't these people move faster? He was going insane with the time that passed as he was held up by the many students flooding the halls. But then, after an eternity, he was at the base of the stairs.

She was so stupid. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have trusted him and let herself open up to him? How could she have just forgotten everything about Harry, about Dean and her family, and let herself fall for him?

"Why do I do this to myself over and over again?" She whispered brokenly. She sat, in the cold Tower, with her head in her hands and her knees drawn up. "I'm so stupid... so, so stupid. How did this happen?"

"Because I'm afraid," a voice murmured softly from the corner. Ginny's head snapped back to stare at Draco, standing by the stairs. "Because I have no choice, we have no choice, and although you may not want anything to do to me we are destined to fall in love." She couldn't believe it.

"You are joking, Malfoy. You must be." Draco's heart contracted painfully at the last name basis, and at the denial. "Why the hell would I love you? Why the hell would I let myself get the choice taken away? I'm not pathetically spineless like _some._" Ouch. Ginny could see the hurt on Draco's face as she spoke but she powered on, determined to pay back the hurt she had received. "Why on earth would someone have such a sadistic mind to make me your… whatever this is? Does someone really hate me that much? I didn't realise I had done something so evil…" It was soul break in his eyes. She could see his soul shattering in front of her but she couldn't stop. Wouldn't stop. "Was I really so completely sinful in a past life I have to get stuck with you in this one?"

"Stop! Just stop! I didn't choose this!" He snapped, turning away. He didn't want to hear these things from her, the rejection of their bond tearing through him. This was it; she had rejected him outright; he was going to die. He could feel death seeping through his skin, numbing him from the extremities in. "I need to go…" he choked, stumbling from the room. It was suffocating him, slicing his flesh, breaking his bones. He was dying so very slowly, every wound he'd ever had opening again, any wound he was ever going to get if he had lived springing into life. He staggered through the halls, trying to reach Severus. If he could reach his godfather then he'd die happy. His energy was draining from him as bones broke and blood dripped from his flesh. He was starving, he was dehydrated. He was going insane, seeing hallucinations. He was suffering the effects of a thousand unending cruciatus curses. He was being stretched and bruised and overall killed slowly. When he couldn't move any further he collapsed on the floor. He couldn't get to the only man who had ever been a father to him. He hadn't told him how much he loved him. His last reserves of life seeped from him, and he closed his eyes, succumbing to the void.

"Ginny…"

"_No!" an old voice roared in agony._

"_Calm down, Jove, we cannot help them. Surely it is a shame that an Old One had to die of such a fate, but we cannot interfere. Not now." A more soothing voice broke in._

"_Not my boy!" Jove cried. "Not my child! Aegisthus, we must do something! Not my child, not again!" the voice was heartbreakingly sad._

"_Jove, we will only meddle if there is remorse in Ginerva's heart and soul; if she pleads for him, if she accepts their bond, we can send him back. For now, we must welcome him to our realm."_

Ginny could sense that something was wrong; she was feeling agonising pain. It was odd, though; she wasn't in pain, rather she could sense someone else's pain. She was once again sitting on the Tower, curled in a ball. Draco had left again and some part of her was bitter; who cares if she had been saying irrationally hurtful things when he should love her regardless? But this was different, illogical. This was a pain that could only mean… death. Then, she heard the whisper.

"Ginny…"

It was Draco. Draco was dying. Panic welled up in the redhead. She had to get to Draco, fast.

"Draco!" She screamed, scrambling through the doorway. She could feel his life slipping from him, more than it had before. He was merely clinging to the fabric of reality by his fingernails. What could she do?

_Tell him how you feel…._ A voice whispered in her head. She was sprinting through the halls, trying to find him. Where would he go if he felt he was dying? The Hospital Wing! He would go to the one person who cared about him; Snape.

Ginny sharply turned down the corridor to her right, intent on getting to the Wing as fast as she could, when she saw the man in question looming brokenly over a lump on the floor.

"Professor Snape?" Ginny called to the usually expressionless man. Why wasn't he in bed? Where was Draco? "Professor, what are you…" her gaze fell onto the object on the floor, only as she edged closer she saw it wasn't an object; it was a boy. "No," she gasped. It couldn't be Draco; it had to be something else. Then she saw the shock of white hair, and fell to her knees. "Draco!" she cried.

"You killed him, Miss Weasley," said Snape from beside her. "You rejected the bond, and killed Draco. He's back in the realm of the Elders, now." Ginny shook her head. She didn't. He couldn't be dead. He was always so alive! He couldn't die.

"No, not Draco, he can't die, he isn't dead, Draco this isn't funny, wake up! Draco!" her cries turned to sobs, and she leant over the cooling form of her soul mate. Now the pain was really hers; now she felt the agony of death. It wasn't her death though; it was the death of the closest person she had. "Draco!"


	5. Chapter 5

"_Aegisthus, she shows remorse, now you must give him back to her!" Jove roared. "Draco, you must go back. Can you not see the pain filling her?"_

"_I can, sir, but how do I return to that land?" Draco's silky voice joined the pain-filled voice of his forefather, full of the same agony._

"_Simply think hard about returning to that body," Aegisthus spoke over the volume of Jove's sobs of happiness. "Imagine wrapping your arms around her and telling Ginevra that you are okay, that you have returned to her. Imagine taking away the agony your death has caused, kissing away her tears. Imagine rising with your soul mate in your arms and shaking the hand of the man you see as your father, reassuring him that you aren't a hallucination conjured by his grief. Imagine returning, and return you shall." There was silence._

"_Thank you, both, for giving me the chance to return to her. I promise you I will find a way of repaying you." Draco's voice was full of __emotion and Jove chuckled._

"_Child, the best payment is seeing Old Souls united, and long-living. Go to her, she is waiting."_

"_I will."_

* * *

Ginny had wrapped her arms around Draco, crying openly into his cloak. She didn't care that her face was covered in his blood; all she noticed was the fact that there was nothing coming from the man; no breath, no heat, no heartbeat. Snape just stood, broken, next to them, staring at the body of his godson, at the boy he was going to adopt, the boy who had given him so much life. Students tried to enter the corridor but were repelled by a strong shield, a shield neither one of the mourning pair had consciously cast.

"Miss Weasley," Snape rasped; his throat tight and eyes burning with unshed tears. "Miss Weasley!" No response. "Ginny," he whispered. Ginny turned at this; she had never heard such emotion in the Potions Master's voice. She saw him ease himself towards her and place a hand on her shoulder; saw but not felt. She couldn't feel; she was numb with the shock of losing Draco. He pulled her up and enveloped her in his arms, an unfamiliar gesture to the both of them. She wrapped her arms meekly around his torso, sensing that the old Professor needed as much comfort as she did. He smelt like Draco did; comfort, security, hidden compassion. Tears made their way down her face as she continued to stare at Draco… at Draco's body. Soon she couldn't bear to look any longer and she buried her head in the shoulder of the man who had looked after her love. Snape lifted his eyes to the ceiling in a silent prayer to the Gods. Why did the one good thing he had have to go?

"Well now, Sev, I really didn't expect you to… pounce on my woman… so soon after I was gone," A weak voice sounded from by their feet. Ginny let out a scream as she realised… it was Draco.

"D-Draco?" she questioned, not looking down. Snape pulled away from her and knelt down by the reawakening boy, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Draco bloody Malfoy, you genius. I knew it could work, I knew it. Thank you, Gods, thank you," the professor whispered, clutching his godson tightly to his chest.

"Sev? Can't… breathe," Draco whispered, pushing him away and struggling to his feet. He had to feel Gin in his arms once more so he pulled her to him and clasped her tightly; ignoring the swaying his body was indulging in. "I love you, Ginny Weasley. You brought me back," he murmured, burying his face in her neck. There were tears falling from his face but neither of them cared, neither of them noticed.

"I love you too, Draco. So much, and I don't know why... but I do. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Ginny replied, only wanting to stay in his embrace and do nothing else. Too soon, the blonde pulled away but kept her close, turning back to Severus, who had recovered from the euphoria of his back-from-the-dead godson, and was glaring dangerously at him, the effect slightly marred by his harsh breathing and small smile.

"I am so sorry, Sev. I honestly tried to prevent this catastrophe, but it seems it was for the best," the stoic professor merely nodded, slowly regaining his composure. "I'll try not to let it happen again," Draco finished with an impish grin.

"Better not bloody happen again!" Snape roared, outraged. This made Ginny collapse in hysterical giggles, leaning into her soul mate. The old Potions Master saw this subconscious display of trust and decided to take his leave. "Mr Malfoy, due to my... condition I will be forced, no doubt, to stay in the Hospital Wing by that blasted nurse, and because my rooms do not accept certain... people alone, I must ask you to choose a companion that is not of the Slytherin persuasion to accompany you. They may let you in because I was in the process of adjusting the wards to you however I would be careful; your father's name is on the list of people not allowed and the sentient old castle may just choose to take your last name rather too literally. One more thing," Draco was looking shyly at the fiery redhead beside him, but glanced back at his old friend as the professor pulled out his wand. "_Tergeo,_" he called, wiping the blood off the pair. "Good evening, you two. And remember not to stay out after curfew; I would hate for those points I recently awarded to be docked for such trivial matters." With that he swept off out of the corridor, the shield charm dissipating as he did so.

"Ginevra, uh... as you heard, I need someone not from Slytherin to, uh, stay the night, so the wards don't fry me because of my heritage. I was wondering whether, due to you being in Gryffindor and a parallel opposite to me, whether you would be that person." Draco stumbled over his words, blushing lightly. He didn't want to hear her reject him and he knew that Severus had said it in front of her deliberately to get her to stay with him but there was always a chance that their surnames and family background would create hesitation and difficulties. He looked away, waiting nervously for the answer from the girl in his arms. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, not believing that he was still so wary. Then again, she reminded herself, she had just killed him.

"Draco," Ginny said gently, lifting his head back to face hers. "I would never say no, okay? I love you, I realise that now. This relationship will take work, and time, but eventually our souls will combine and our hearts will merge. We will be one, ultimately, once we give our minds the chance to come to terms with our love. I would be most happy to go with you, wherever, forever and always." When she finished Ginny looked up into sparkling silver eyes and her heart soared. She could gaze into those eyes whenever she wanted; they were hers. Draco leant down slowly and captured her lips in an intoxicatingly sweet kiss, cupping her head in his lean, pale fingers. She tipped her head up to give him entrance and slowly they deepened the kiss. Ginny ploughed her fingers into his iridescent platinum hair, pulling herself closer to him, melting into him. They slowly broke apart when the need for oxygen overpowered anything else.

"Gin," Draco panted, trying to catch his breath. "Ginny, I love you so much, please, don't ever leave me, please" he begged, tears welling in his eyes and spilling onto his cheeks. "Don't ever, _ever_ leave me, I couldn't bear it, really I couldn't… to go back there… just… please…" he shuddered, burying his face in her neck. Ginny soothed him quietly, murmuring words of comfort and running her fingers through his hands.

"I'll never leave you, Drake," she whispered. "I'm so sorry for putting you through this but I promise you, I won't do anything to hurt you ever again." She cradled him, rocking slightly as he tried to recover from his trip to the netherworld.

"S-Sorry," he hiccupped, brushing his hair from his face and extracting Ginny from his iron grip. She smiled to herself as he mentally shook himself out and wiped all remaining traces of anguish from his face. Ginny knew this would be a difficult time for the both of them and that Draco would most likely need time to trust her, but at least they would be together. "Shall we go?" he queried, holding out his arm in a mocking semblance of a gentleman.

"We shall," she giggled, wrapping her arms around his and tugging him through the halls to the dungeons. Without their realisation darkness had fallen, and curfew had descended onto Hogwarts. They shot through the corridors together, silent but content, racing to get to the privacy of their surrogate chambers.

Once they had reached the portrait protecting the Potions Master's rooms without being caught by prefects or Filch, Draco chuckled slightly to himself.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, curious as to his sudden change in mood. Draco looked down at her with a sparkle in his eyes, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her fiery curls.

"I realised that I didn't tell Sev the password for his rooms that I had to choose when I reset the wards. You may as well know it as I'm pretty sure he'll change it to some obscure potions compound when he returns. _Callidus Ingenio_," he remarked, almost as if continuing the conversation but the picture of stormy seas swung open to reveal the rooms. As they spoke the picture changed slowly from the tempest, to a calm ocean with clear skies.

"I'm sure he will," Ginny agreed, letting herself be guided gently into the dark, stone room. It was cold and unwelcoming, dank and miserable. She had the urge to transfigure the whole chambers into a cheery, warm suite but she really didn't fancy being on the dangerous end of the formidable teacher's wand. "I really hope Professor Snape mastered the art of the heating charm," she shivered only half jokingly. Draco laughed and shook his head.

"He didn't; if you stay out here you'll freeze to death, seeing as you aren't part Vampire like him." he responded causing Ginny to groan but then gasp as his words sank in.

"Professor Snape is… part Vampire?" she yelped, eyes wide. Draco laughed and ruffled her hair, earning a scowl.

"Of course not! I meant it figuratively, but I would, however, like to tell you I am a master of such charms that mean you will not become an ice lolly," he grinned which resulted in a smack on the arm for the delay. "It's permanent in my room, so if you would like to sleep in there, I can temporarily cast one on this room," Ginny turned sharply, facing the uncertain boy.

"Why on Merlin's green earth would you not be staying with me?" she demanded, upset. Draco grinned and captured the redhead in a chaste kiss before replying.

"I was merely being chivalrous, dear," he quipped. Ginny smacked him on his arm again, causing him to yelp. "Hey!" he cried, "What was that for?"

"For being chivalrous," Ginny smirked. "Malfoy's are not chivalrous." Draco nodded, agreeing slightly. He knew that, secretly, she thought for a second that he didn't want to stay with her. He himself didn't know if she wanted him there. It was all rather… personal. When he voiced this thought quietly, she smacked his arm for the third time, although softer. "After all that's happened, and all that we've been through, being close to you is exactly what I want, for the rest of my life," Ginny whispered. "Don't even hesitate, alright?" Draco nodded, smiling.

"Let's go to bed then, love," he murmured in her ear, scooping her up and carrying her to his room. Once she was carefully deposited on the bed, he started undressing. "Do you need anything? Pyjamas, toothbrush, hairbrush, anything like that?" Ginny shook her head tiredly.

"Can I borrow something of yours to sleep in, please?" she replied, stretching cat-like on the bed. Draco smiled lovingly and withdrew a faded green shirt from his drawers.

"You can sleep in this," he stated calmly, even though his heart was pounding, dying to see her in his clothes. She looked at the offered cloth with mild distaste.

"You just want to see me in Slytherin green, don't you?" she pouted, causing a blush to rise to his cheeks.

"No," he protested weakly. "It was the first thing that came from my drawer. If you want to sleep naked…" trailing off, he waited for her reaction.

"I'm going to look like a bloody Christmas tree," she muttered, unbuttoning her shirt and clambering off the bed. She turned her back to him to change.

"You'll look beautiful, just like you always do," Draco countered. He was quickly in his sleeping shorts and climbed into the bed, slipping between the silk sheets. Once Ginny was done, she joined him. True to his word, the shade of jade green complimented her skin perfectly and set her hair alight. Draco couldn't resist leaning in and pressing his lips back to hers, dragging his fingers through her silken hair. It was brief and sweet but it sent shivers down his spine. When they broke apart Ginny buried her head into his shoulder, content in just staying close to the man she had almost lost.

"Drake?" she queried quietly, almost afraid to break the silence. He grunted in reply, and so she continued, fiddling with the hem of the t-shirt. "What happens now, in public? I mean I was Harry's girlfriend, now I'm completely in love with the Slytherin Prince, and… the Prophet will have a field day, if Skeeter hasn't found out about Harry's new love interest already," she spat with scorn. Draco had tensed under her, pondering the question with worry. What if the attention they received tore Ginny away from him? What would her family think? How would Potter react to his nemesis now dating his ex? He realised he couldn't answer Ginny's question, so settled on telling her the complete truth.

"I have absolutely no idea, Gin, but I'll tell you one thing; if anyone tries to take you away from me I will stop at nothing to get you back. I mean _nothing_. Whatever you wish to do about our situation, I will gladly oblige, whether it is to run back to the Astronomy Tower and scream it to the whole of Scotland, or whether it be to quietly start telling close friends and relatives and let the news gently spread. We'll be together however it comes out and that is all that I care about. Now, my darling, let us get some rest." Draco dropped a kiss on the top of Ginny's head, to which she responded with one of her own to his lips.

"You are completely right, Drake. I shouldn't worry. Night, love you," Ginny sighed, happy. Everything would come together, soon.

"Night, Gin. Love you too," Draco muttered in an ecstatic daze, feeling sleep overtake him. He was right where he was supposed to be, his soul mate in his arms, in the care of the truest father he'd ever had. Nothing could ruin this. Nothing.

Or so they thought.

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A/N: Wow, I loved writing this chapter! As with all stories that would suceed, I have to put in the twist. Hope you like it! x


	6. Chapter 6

Dear followers of Heart and Soul...  
**This delightful, action-packed, dramatic chapter is dedicated to Megan Hunt... with me from the start, even in the stages of thinking it up. Love you Megan!**  
Honestly, I really hope everyone likes it. Please tell me what you think, even if you don't like it, or don't have an account, or just generally want to tell me your thoughts. I want to hear it all. If you want more of my drabble, I'm rediscovering Twitter, at amelieelizabet  
See you 'round!

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Draco shot up, gasping for breath and clawing at his throat. The nightmare he had just been trapped in was clinging to the edges of his mind, refusing to let go. It had been the same one as always; he had been forced to take the mark, branded with evil. He had been made to torture, maim and kill, to dirty his soul and condemn his spirit… it was horrifying. Instinctively he sought the comfort of his love in bed beside him but as he fumbled in the darkness he couldn't find her. Anguish coursed through him; had it all been a sick dream? Casting a _Tempus_ charm and realising the ungodly hour was three 'o' clock in the morning, Draco padded despairingly out of his room and through to the kitchen. He felt so alone, so forlorn, so empty… none of it had been real… he meant nothing to Ginny Weasley…

"Draco?" a soft voice sounded from behind him. He whirled around to see a dishevelled Ginny, hugging herself on the counter, a cold mug of tea by her leg. Her eyes were wide and dilated, and she was curled into herself, terrified.

"Ginny! What happened to you?" Draco breathed, rushing to envelope her in his arms, all thoughts of his nightmare forgotten. Ginny choked out a sob as she wrapped her arms around his lean frame. "Hey, it's okay, love, I'm here," he soothed, stroking her fiery hair and pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

"Oh, Draco!" Ginny's voice was muffled by his shoulder, but the agony and fear in it was as clear as day to Draco. "It was so horrible! Tom was coming after me and taunting me, and chasing me, chasing me right into the chamber… he made me kill you and I couldn't stop him… I tried to fight him but it didn't work! He teased me with his diary… he was sucking my life out of me all over again… I kept calling out to you but you were just lying there, on the floor of the chamber, glassy-eyed and unmoving… it was so cold… I was so scared, Draco. I couldn't escape." The blonde was confused for a minute but then realised with a jolt; the dream sprung from the nightmare ordeal with Riddle's diary in her first year – the diary _his_ father planted on Ginny when she was in Flourish and Blotts. Guilt surged through Draco, suffocating him. He tightened his arms around her.

"I am so, so very sorry, love," he whispered in her ear, pained. "Lucius was the one was the one to cause the hellish experience you went through and I should have stopped him," he cursed himself; how could he forget something so monumentally traumatising? "I'm here now, love, Riddle hasn't killed me and you'll never have to go back there. I swear to you I'll die before I let you go back there, before I let that sick bastard near you again," he lightly nuzzled Ginny's tear-stained cheek, and slowly her sobs turned to whimpers. It was so hard to see her like this… Draco knew he would have to confront the inner demon. Perhaps a Penseive would be best?

"Thank you, Draco," Ginny murmured, sniffling. "That's the first time I've been comforted about my night terrors since, well, ever. You're the best boyfriend ever," she pressed her lips carefully to his cheek. Draco was reeling with happiness.

"Boyfriend?" he repeated, grinning. Ginny went bright red and her eyes widened in shameful horror. How did she let that slip?

"I'm sorry! I just assumed… because of… Crap! I just thought…" she spluttered, mortified that she had made such a grave error in judgement. Draco laughed and placed his lips on hers, effectively silencing her.

"I would be honoured to be your boyfriend, if you'll have me," he was euphoric. Everything had progressed so much from yesterday. His life was slowly completing itself.

"Of course! I've always had a thing for snooty aristocratic blondes with an ego so large it fills the entire room!" Ginny teased.

"Oh, you'll be looking for Theo Nott, he's just down the- ow!" Draco yelped as he was smacked upside thee head. "If you weren't one with a soft spot for one fiery young Gryffindor, stay right here," he smiled gently down at the frail girl.

"I think that sounds about right for me," Ginny replied, wrapping her legs around her boyfriend and kissing him. "I love you, Draco Malfoy."

"I love you, Ginny Weasley," he replied goofily. "And I will 'till the day I die."

"Don't curse it, Muppet," she scolded lightly, before repeati9ng his sentiments.

"Really, how… touching," A voice drawled from the doorpost. Ginny screamed in terror at the sudden intrusion of none other than well known Slytherin death eater, Blaise Zabini. "Draco, Draco, Draco… you really have let yourself go," he tutted, twirling his wand in his slender fingers. "Daddy is most disappointed in you. I found this in your bedroom. Who doesn't take their wand everywhere in the midst of a war?"

"What are you doing here, Zabini? Haven't you got girls to chase, boys to beg?" Draco countered whilst moving subtly in front of Ginny, shielding her from the sly student in the frame. He cursed silently at Zabini's possession of his wand, when smooth wood was slid into his hand.

"_It's yours. I had conjured a fake last night. It's what we do in the DA." _Ginny whispered. Not caring how Ginny had it he whipped out a spell. "Expelliarmus!" Zabini dodged it with ease and barked out a laugh.

"That all you got, Drakey? The Dark Lord will be most displeased. You were supposed to keep up your Dark training whilst on this mission. He's calling you back now. Stupefy!" The spell narrowly missed Draco's head, and instead exploded against the cabinet behind the couple drawing another scream from Ginny. Shards of the wooden door dug into her back, scratching away the thin shirt and tearing superficially into her skin. Draco was furious at Blaise's attempt to drive them apart, and at the damage he was doing to Severus' apartment. Most of all, it was the pain and fear he was inflicting on his love.

"You know there was no mission, Zabini!" he cried, spreading his arms out to try to protect Ginny more. "You're trying to lie to separate us but it wont work, I know it! Petrificus Totalus!"

"Protrego," Blaise muttered lazily. Enough of the games. Come, Draco. Daddy wants to see you. Reducto!" A huge portion of the stone ceiling shattered and fell, showering Ginny with rubble. She cried out and Draco immediately turned to aid her, pushing all thoughts of personal safety out of his mind, and leaving his back uncovered. "Stupefy," Draco fell limply to the floor beside Ginny who screamed for him to wake up, whilst trying to reach for his wand to protect them both. Blaise laughed and silenced her. "A dirty blood-traitor Weasel managed to seduce the Ice-Prince of Slytherin, how quaint. You'll do nicely for leverage for our little Draco. Petrificus Totalus." With a non-verbal levitation spell the Death Eater walked from the room, taking care to bash the couple on the walls. He ignored the destruction of the room. Let Snape find it, he thought, we'll be long gone before he figures anything out.

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Draco woke groggily in a dark, dank room, head pounding and shoulders burning. He could feel the tendrils of his mind pulsating, convulsing as they reeled with his headache. He tried moving but he was tied to a stone wall behind him, arms bound above his head and torso strapped tightly to the cold stone. He struggled to remember where he was when the details of his last conscious moments flooded back to him; Blaise, the kitchen… Ginny

"Ginny!" he cried into the obsidian abyss, frantically thrashing in his bonds. Where was she? Was she okay? "Ginny!" his voice tore from his throat, desperation cracking his tone. A rustling in the corner drew his attention. "Who's there?" he snapped, trying to gauge the sixe of the room hi was in, trying to figure out who was in the room with him. All that replied was a tiny whimper. Draco knew the strains of that voice, the silky strands of the tone – he would recognise it even delirious, or half deaf. "Ginny," Draco almost sobbed in relief; Ginny was alive, she was near him. Then he felt the presence in his mind, like a flame, wisps tenderly caressing his soul. It was a crimson blaze shot through with Jade green. It was Ginny; it was her soul-fire. The pressure was comforting but he could see that the way the flare danced, agitated and erratic, that she way very much afraid. "Ginny, talk to me love," Draco started to worry as the blaze recoiled – what had the bastards done to her? There was no answer bar a muffled cry, the flame jumping and weaving. The blonde struggled to free himself more vigorously, to see what had happened see what had happened to his soul mate. When he got free… his father would pay. He would die. No one could stop him.

With a crash the door to the cell opened and light exploded from behind an ominous figure in the doorframe. Draco hissed as the glare of bright light hit his eyes, momentarily blinding him. As soon as they adjusted he searched frenziedly searched the cell for his love but when his eyes landed on her he almost wished he had kept the flame in his mind as sole judgement of her state; she looked almost dead. Ginny was curled up in the corner, crying silently, bruises and lacerations decorating her body. Her left arm was cradled into her body and her clothes were in tatters.

"Ginny!" Draco's voice was anguished. What had they done? At the sound of his voice the redhead looked up, terror etched into her face, and she huddled closer into herself, sobbing harder.

"Draco, you never learn, do you?" Lucius Malfoy's haughty drawl slithered to his son's ears from the door. "Never become weak. You have shown yourself to be weaker than I ever thought a Malfoy could be… you have now become a disgrace and must be disposed of. It must be the Black blood in you," Draco spat in the direction of his father and yelled wordlessly. "You have let yourself go, Draco! Just like your mother!"

"What did you do to Ginny, you sick git!"!" Draco bellowed. "What "What did you take her for! Leave her alone!" This elicited a laugh from the death eater in the room.

"You learnt nothing. She is _leverage_, son. If you do not submit to my wishes she will be shared amongst us at the Dark Revels. You will be forced to watch and will be able to do nothing about it. She doesn't even know you any more, Draco, one hair did the trick when torturing her – she thought it was you… now she doesn't remember who you are!" Draco's eyes welled with tears. The Ginny he'd known and loved was gone in a haze of fear and there was a gap in her memories where he should have been… from her point of view the man who had tortured her was him. She'd never trust him now. He screamed with rage, throwing himself backwards at the wall, knocking his head and making it spin.

"Ginny! Ginny, love, it's me, it's Draco, it's your soul mate… it wasn't me that did this to you – I love you – I'd never hurt you. Please, Gin, remember me…" he broke down, crying. She was gone.

"Well..,. I'll leave you to think," said Lucius maliciously. The door slammed shut, leaving the bound boy alone with the girl he'd lost.

"Ginny… I'm sorry… I love you…" Draco's heart ached as though it had been torn from his chest and stamped on by a giant. It was difficult to breathe, he felt cold, but most of all, he felt lost.

"D-Draco?" a broken whisper sounded from the corner. The blonde's head snapped up and Draco searched in the darkness for the owner of that voice. He knew it was Ginny and would do anything to see her gazing at him with recognition in her eyes. It set fire to his soul to hear her call his name, to feel the blaze inside him that was Ginny settle and reach out towards him.

"Ginny!" relief coloured his tone and once again he resumed the struggle against the chains that held him back from leaping towards her. "I thought I'd lost you!"

"I remember all these memories of you and you told me you loved me… but you beat me. Why would you do that, Draco, why?" She was so distressed and Draco's hopes fell when he realised it wasn't immunity to the memory curse but recollections forcing their way through the foggy screen that hid them.

"I didn't, Gin! You have to believe me!" He yelled passionately, wishing that his words would ring true and he would be able to help her break down the barrier of her mind. "Your mind is fighting the memory alteration because our love is too strong – we're soul mates, remember?" A shocked gasp signified she did, indeed. "My love for you and yours for mine help to blast down the blockade of dark magic and show you the truth. I swore to you that I'd never hurt you and that will always ring true, for eternity! They took some of my hair and used Polyjuice to look like me to make you even more terrified of a boy you couldn't remember but had beaten you, then greeted you with intimate familiarity, to help reinforce the charm! Fight the charm, Gin, remember our love and fight it!" Draco was ready to slowly and excruciatingly painfully torture those who had caused such upset, such fear and such pain for his Ginny.

"Oh, Draco! You… you died! You…we… it can't have been you! You'd never act the way they did. Oh, Draco!" She had fought the bond and won. Draco wanted to dance with relief and joy… if he wasn't in these blasted chains.

"Gin, love, you have no bindings. Could you find your way over to me?" There was a shuffling and slowly Ginny moved around the room, feeling the walls, and stumbled into Draco, still holding her arm to her chest. She lowered herself into his lap and fumbled to stroke his hair with her spare hand. It was so soft in her fingers and reassured her. This was so natural, so right; she could no longer doubt the memories that caressed her mind.

"I love you, Draco, and nothing they do will change that. Now, let's get you out of these chains… but can you do wandless healing? They broke my arm…" Draco growled and shook his head. Ginny felt it and sighed, but strapped up the limb with some scraps of her clothes. She kissed her soul mate and started to look for the eyelet that held the chains on his arms to the wall. "Draco! There's no lock! I can undo your hands!" She quickly set to work and as soon as his arms were free Draco pulled the fiery girl towards him, almost suffocating her in his haste to have her close.

"I was in agony without you here with me, Gin. You belong in my arms and when you thought you didn't…. I was slowly going insane. When we get out of here, I'll ask Dumbledore for chambers for us both… I'm never staying away from you again." With bruised lips he kissed Ginny. He knew what he wanted to do. He was so sure of this. "Marry me, Ginny Weasley. Marry Me."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry it's been so long on poor old Heart and Soul! She's back, and I hope to get her done over the summer though I can't be sure. This chapter's just a filler, really, before the real action kicks in, and sort of explains a bit about my AU Sev. Remember; reviews make me happy and bring on chapters early! Lots of love, your faithful author =]

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"_Severus Tobias Snape!" A voice shouted from across a great distance. The aforementioned __Potions Master observed the room he stood in before glancing at the woman who had called him. He was in a large ballroom with… _

"_Narcissa?" Suddenly the stoic man felt weak. Could it really be? "Cissa?" __He ran to the vision of the platinum haired woman, falling to his knees before her. "Cissa, what are you doing here?" he cried, feeling the love he had always held for the woman exploding at the sight he had wished for since the day she died._

"_I have to warn you, Severus; Draco and his beloved have been captured by Lucius, and…" She collapsed next to him, holding a pale, slender hand across her eyes. __"My poor boy… he has made wrong choices over the years but he does not deserve this pain, this anguish. Ginny made him happy, and now they are both in mortal peril. Oh, Severus, what do I do?" She leant into him, into their familiar embrace he had missed for so long._

"_I do not know, Narcissa. I will go to Dumbledore as soon as I wake up from this… vision, I presume. I will also accompany them on their search. We will not stop until we find Draco, and Miss Weasley." He had said this with the intent to reassure but Cissa's head shot up, her face panicked._

"_You must not accompany them, my love! You are too badly injured, and it would not be safe for you! I need you to be safe for them, so that you can be there for them at all times, and safe for me. I need you, Severus. I love you and miss you, and if you pass I will never be able to look down on earth and see you again, and you will not come to me, you would move onto the next plane…" She trailed off worriedly and kissed Severus softly on the lips, something she had never been allowed to do before, but wished to._

"_Cissa…" he cried out softly, feeling her gentle lips remove themselves from his. Because of the bonding ceremony performed on Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy when they were infants, neither was allowed to be unfaithful or have any relationships with other people. This meant that Severus could declare his love for her all he liked, but he was forbidden to touch her in the way they both wanted. "I miss you so, Cissa. I cannot live without contact with you, without an owl, or a floo call, a meeting for tea, the accidental brushing of hands… I can't continue on with this existence." Tears fell from his eyes, and he ran his fingers through her white hair. "The only thing that keeps me here, or there, is Draco; he has your smile, your eyes." Narcissa sobbed and buried herself into Severus' heartbroken embrace. "Don't leave me again, Cissa. Not now that we can finally be together. Don't do this to me," he begged, tightening his hold. He wouldn't let her leave him. He just wouldn't._

"_I have to, Severus. I have a duty to my sisters, and even if I could return to our world, the bond__ with Lucius would reignite and we would be torn apart. It would kill me all over again, Sev." She shook her head wearily. "I do not want to be apart from you but it is what we must do. I am so sorry, Severus. It seems it was in your fate to have those you love torn from you." She was right; Lily was first, then Narcissa. Cissa had helped Severus all those years ago in fifth year, to overcome his loss, and move on, with the love Cissa herself showed him. Then she too was wrenched out of his grasp, into the cruel arms of death._

"_Could we not find a way to contact each other?" he pleaded, muffling his voice in the crook of her neck. "I cannot be with you, but I… Cissa, please…" suddenly she was out of his arms, drifting away. "No! Cissa! Where are you going?" He exclaimed, jumping up and trying to run towards her, but she just kept getting further and further away. _

"_They are calling me back, Severus! I cannot stop it!" Narcissa yelled, tears rolling down her face. "Severus, I love you!" It hurt the Potions Master to hear the words from someone leaving him, so he turned his back. "No, Severus, please, I love you!" her voice was fading, and she was getting further away, he could tell. Then he realised; it didn't matter that she was leaving him now; they were in each other's hearts, and Cissa would always look out for him. He whipped back to see her tiny, broken figure in the distance, weeping profusely as she tried running back to him and tripped more than once. He sprinted towards her, shouting. _

"_I love you, Narcissa, I love you!" she was gone. But he felt a warm glowing in his heart, and knew that she was there. "I really do love you, Narcissa," he whispered, turning once more. It was time to __leave wherever he was, and return to the hospital bed in Hogwarts. It was time to say goodbye to Narcissa, but never forget her._

When Severus woke up, groaning, he realised that he was no longer aching all over, and that his breathing was back to normal instead of harsh and ragged. He sat up, testing all the joints and muscles for tenderness, and found some around his ribs. Other than that, he was fine. Better than the first time he got out of bed, anyway.

"Ah, Severus, I see that you have awoken. Perhaps you would like a drink?" Poppy Pomfrey bustled into the room and greeted him with a soft smile. Severus nodded, coming to the conclusion that after healing this much in such a short space of time, he was going to have naught more than a rasp for a voice. He was handed a glass of Pumpkin Juice, and patted on the hand. "I am sure that Mr Malfoy and Miss Weasley are on their way down to see you any minute. They were both so worried for you, dear." She hurried away, and Severus sighed; no, they were not. Once the mediwitch was out of sight, the Potions Master swung his legs over the side of the bed and Summoned another pair of his Dragon Hide boots, slipping them on cold feet. The robes and shoes he had worn to the Death Eater meeting were covered in blood and were torn beyond repair, so he had to Summon another teaching robe too. Throwing that over the bedclothes he had been wearing, he silently left the Hospital Wing, heading for Dumbledore's office.

"Dairy Milk," he smiled wryly; would the insanity of the old Headmaster never cease? Severus limped up the spiral staircase and through the door, where Albus sat talking to Fawkes. "Professor, if I may have a word." Severus muttered. With a wink, Fawkes burst into flames and disappeared.

"Severus, my dear boy, come, take a seat. Are you quite well? I visited you in the Wing, but you were not conscious. Did Poppy let you out? I am pleasantly surprised to see you up and about so soon." Albus smiled, gesturing at the plush chair before his desk. "Lemon drop?"

"No thank you, Albus," Severus sighed, taking the proffered seat. "I have come to you concerning Draco; he and Miss Ginny Weasley have been kidnapped by the Death Eaters and taken to Malfoy Manor. I do not know how the Voldemort's forces got into my chambers, but they took the pair. I should not be out of the wing but I feel fine, and these children are in grave danger. I fear for their lives; Draco is considered a traitor to the Dark Lord, and the fact that he is in a serious relationship with a so-called 'blood traitor'," he spat the vulgar slander in disgust, curling his lip. He knew Ginny was kind and good, regardless of the way her family chose to live. "The relationship makes matters worse. We must assemble forces immediately and get them back." Albus smiled again, leaning forwards.

"I cannot send out the Order too quickly, Severus. We must create a plan, however given all we know about the Manor, it will be fairly soon. You will get your godson back in due time, Severus. I understand you would like to adopt Draco?" Severus nodded vigorously. "Well then, as we wait for Fawkes to bring back the members of the Order, we can organise that. I am sure that being who I am, I can give the allowance that Cornelius would be… reluctant to give." Severus let out a rare grin; he had been worried about the Death Eater status he was labelled with, and how it would affect his chances.

"And what of the fact that Lucius is still alive? What if he contests my adoption? He is more socially powerful than I could ever hope to be, and if he chooses to will no doubt get his own way." The Potions Master voiced his most prominent fears, but Albus waved a hand.

"Pish, posh, let him try to bypass me. I have the Wizengamot on my side on this matter. Plus, you know that Draco, due to the fact that he turns seventeen in a week, will have his own say. It is a fact that will greatly affect the outcome of the proceedings. Now, the members of the Order are going to be arriving any minute. I shall give you a minute to collect yourself, and then you can tell them exactly what you know, before heading back to the infirmary, or Poppy will have your head." Albus disappeared to the upper levels of his office, leaving a thankful Severus behind; he did need some time to get together the cool, calm exterior he only took down in the select few occasions. Once he had, Albus joined him again, both standing by the fireplace, and soon the Order filled the room, sitting on conjured or transfigured chairs.

"What is it, Albus?" Remus Lupin called tiredly from the back of the room where he stood with Tonks.

"Severus has come to me with some very grave news about two of our own. Before he tells you this, though, you must know one thing. The boy he speaks of turned his back on his family and friends to join our side, leaving behind everything he knew. He is one of us, and should be accepted as though he was one of an Order member's child. Severus, if you will," Albus offered the floor to Severus, who stoically observed the rabble, before addressing them.

"Earlier this evening two Order children were kidnapped by Death Eaters," he declared, causing gasps and cries to echo throughout the cavernous room. "They were Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley." This made even more shock to ripple through the room.

"My baby girl!" screeched Molly. "Why is it always my baby girl?" she sobbed into Arthur's jacket. Severus spared her a moment, and threw a look to Arthur that spoke volumes of his condolences, and continued.

"They were taken because Voldemort is outraged at the fact that Draco refuses to join the Dark Lord's ranks, and turned to Albus for asylum. He took Ginny too because they are in a relationship." Ignoring the whispers, he ploughed on. "We have to rescue them tonight. Now here is the plan…"

They planned until the early hours of the morning, when the final decisions were made. The Order members were to go in and execute the plan with haste, bringing back the two pupils quickly and safely. Severus was to wait behind, much to his disgust. Just as the members were leaving, Poppy hurried into the room.

"Severus Tobias Snape!" She yelled, flicking her wand and trussing him up, levitating in the air. "You dare leave my wing without my permission _again?"_ she was furious, and Severus almost felt scared. He was forcibly dragged back to the Hospital Wing and charmed to the bed, when he felt something heating up in his pocket. Pulling it out, he recognised a piece of white parchment, with a familiar smell; Narcissa. It read;

_I will be with you always, in your heart. But if you write on this, I can write back. Thank you for saving my son, in more ways than the rescue. I love you, Severus Snape._


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: A new chapter from the long lost fanfic author _Amelie_! I am genuinely so sorry that it's taken me so long to upload, but I'm trying to get back on track now. Enjoy! _Amelie x_

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Draco and Ginny hugged each other tightly, curled up in the corner of the cell. Ginny was smiling blindingly and Draco occasionally dropped a kiss on her face, soft and affectionate.

"I suppose we can get Severus to be your best man, and Dumbledore can hold the service," she mused, drawing lazy circles into Draco's palm, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It will only be small, and I'd have to invite Hermione, because she was trying to stop Harry, and Ron looked… uncomfortable." Draco nodded, having been filled in on the situation that brought the two of them together. "I know that Neville will want to be there… if he can get over his fear of you." She turned to face him. "You're going to have to apologise to all of them, by the way. We are getting married, after all." Draco kissed her.

"Of course I will. Over the summer I realised my mistakes and regret ever insulting all of them; well not Potter. He's still a complete arse." This statement was met with a nod. Suddenly a small pop made them jump and in the dim light Draco could just make out a beaten, frightened house elf. "Jumly?" He recognised the poor creature as the one who raised him, and cared for him; she was almost his own personal elf.

"Master Draco!" Jumly squeaked, before bowing and crying out with the pain. "Jumly is trying to help you escape, sir, but Master Lucius is still holding Jumly in his power, but Jumly is part Master Draco's because Master Draco is seventeen! Will Master Draco free Jumly, so that Jumly can free Master Draco?" The elf started smacking her head against the wall for disrespecting her master, before Ginny leapt up and pulled Jumly away.

"Of course I will free you, Jumly! Here," He slid his shoe off and threw a sock to the loyal servant he had grown to love over his seventeen years, and she caught it with a sob. "Now I need you to make sure we get out safely, alright? This is my fiancée, Ginny, and I really don't want her to get hurt. It would kill me to see her anything less than perfect." Jumly smiled and held out her hands.

"Master Draco, Jumly knows that there is lots of Order members surrounding the Manor now. Who do you want to go to?" She smiled up at the two teenagers, who held onto each other tightly.

"Mum!" Ginny whispered, but then shook her head. "Actually, best not. She might kill you for some ridiculous reason before we get out. Miss Jumly?" The elf cried and hugged Ginny, much to her surprise.

"Master Draco's Ginny called Jumly Miss Jumly! Master Draco's Ginny is so very kind! Master Draco's Ginny will now be Mistress Ginny of Jumly the free elf, because Jumly loves Master Draco, and Master Draco loves Mistress Ginny which means Jumly loves Mistress Ginny!" Draco smiled fondly at his favourite elf, who then remembered that Ginny had asked her something. "What does Mistress Ginny want to ask?"

"Is Severus Snape out there, Jumly?" Ginny asked, looking to Draco nervously. She was worried about the man she treated, and needed not only for Draco's reassurance but her own to know whether he was about to engage in a dangerous fight.

"No, Mistress. Master Snape is not outside, he is not anywhere near the Manor grounds. Where would Master and Mistress like to be taken?" Jumly looked at the two of them; gnarled hands wrapped around one of their own.

"Take us to Remus Lupin, Jumly," Draco replied, curling his spare arm tight around Ginny, who nestled her head in the crook of his neck. There was a tugging sensation in his navel and it felt for one moment as though they were being crushed, but then they landed outside the Manor grounds with two wands pointed in their faces. Draco spun them around so that Ginny was behind him, and he scowled at the scarred ex-professor. "Professor, please remove your wand from my face. You too, cousin." Nymphadora Tonks slowly lowered her wand, but Lupin's remained where it was.

"Remus, when you saw me in the Department of Mysteries in my fourth year, you whispered something in my ear, something no one else heard. You whispered to me, _just as strong as always, Ginny. Don't let them beat you now, not after everything._ You helped me in my second year come to terms with what had happened in the Chamber. I am Ginny Weasley, not an impostor. Draco is Draco, too." Remus put his wand away and enveloped the girl in a hug, filled with relief that the girl was safe; over the years she had become a daughter to him and he had been as worried as Molly and Arthur when Severus had told them of her capture.

"I am glad you are alright, Ginny. And you, Draco. You are both very lucky." He let go of the redhead to shake Draco's hand, before giving them both chocolate and starting to perform diagnostic spells. From what he could ascertain, they were both fine, minus some scratches and a large bruise on Draco's ribs. "Come, I shall send my patronus around to the others and we will get you back to Hogwarts." A wolf shot from the tip of his wand and raced off into the darkness.

"Professor Lupin? I must introduce you to a free elf, Jumly. It was thanks to her that we were able to escape alive and relatively unharmed. I would like to speak to Headmaster Dumbledore about, if she wishes, Jumly joining the elves at Hogwarts," Draco spoke, gently tugging his tiny friend forward, where she had tear-filled eyes once again.

"Jumly would love to be a Hogwarts elf! Jumly would be most honoured, Master Draco!" She hugged Draco's leg and he saw his sock on her foot. The sight warmed his heart.

"Come, let us go. Ginny?" Offering his arm to his fiancée, Draco pulled his cloak around her and made to step away from the wards. Tonks held out her hand, and they all Apparated away.

They reappeared right next to the Hogwarts grounds, hurrying up to the castle where they could see silhouettes in the windows of the hospital wing, and hear the _pop_ as more Order members appeared behind them to return, unscathed, to their home, to Hogwarts. Molly and Arthur rushed up to them and pulled Ginny into them, Molly sobbing as she reassured herself that her daughter was alright. After a while, the group was able to go to meet Dumbledore at the entrance to the school, where he gave a warm smile, a twinkle in his eye.

"My congratulations to you all for returning safely and without loss. You have a very small yet special house elf to thank, I hear, Jumly. Jumly, you are most welcome to join our staff here at Hogwarts, as a free, employed elf with a holiday and wages. Welcome to the institution, my dear." Jumly hugged the elderly wizard before disappearing with a crack, leaving him to address the youngest members of the gathering. "Miss Weasley, Mr Malfoy… Draco," he changed his mind at the scowl that appeared on the blonde's face when he was referred to by that name. "I would like you two to go to the hospital wing to be checked by Madam Pomfrey. Severus is anxious to see that you are both alright, and I fear that it is detrimental to his already tenuous health to worry about you for longer than necessary. Run along. Oh yes and Draco? You may wish to speak to Mr and Mrs Weasley about your situation." Fear crossed Draco's face before he nodded and ushered his soul mate to the infirmary. Molly Weasley looked at Dumbledore with exasperation clear on her exhausted face.

"Albus, I really do not know how you know everything, but one day, please try to involve us in the loop."


	9. Chapter 9

"Severus, can you not see that we are fine?" Draco protested, trying to soothe the godfather who was stalking towards him.

"Fine?" Snape roared. "Fine? Look at the manacle gouges on your wrists! Look at the bruises on your fiancées face! How dare you dream to tell me that you are fine!" He manhandled the young Slytherin onto the hospital bed, then turning to Ginny. "I will get Madam Pomfrey to see to you both. If you would be so kind, Miss Weasley, please lie on one of the beds, so that you may be rested and not weary until Poppy can tend to you." Weakened, the Potions Master sat back in the chair he had summoned from his quarters. It had been a taxing night for the Professor, so sick with worry had he been that even Poppy's best _Petrificus Totalus_ could not hold him. Sending a quick patronus to the nurse, he finally relaxed, finally content that at least the two were safe, in Hogwarts.

"Mr Malfoy! Miss Weasley!" Madam Pomfrey cried with relief, bustling into the Infirmary and waving her wand with complex diagnostic spells. "We were all so worried for you! Now, explain to us what happened." Draco tensed and left his bed to wrap Ginny in his arms, trying not to shake. Ginny ran her hands through his hair and whispered in his ear, knowing that it had taken an awful lot out of him, and had left her fiancé traumatised.

"Zabini broke into Professor Snape's quarters and kidnapped us, because although he is a Death Eater, he hasn't got the Dark Mark. We ended up at Malfoy Manor where Mr Malfoy used a Memory charm and Polyjuice to the effect that I had no recollection of Draco but him supposedly beating me. We were thrown in the same cell, but the Soul bond between us was too strong for the _Obliviate_ and I remembered him. The house elf, Jumly, was able to Apparate us out of there because Draco freed him. And here we are." Severus frowned at the pair, concerned for Draco's broken demeanour, but he knew that Ginny would help him. It was a severe blow to his self-esteem that he couldn't save his fiancée without the help of a house elf, and that his father had abused Ginny without respite, under the pretence that it was him, a damaging feat to their relationship.

"Well, I can heal the lacerations and gashes with a simple spell, but the bruises will have to have poultices on them that Severus will need to make daily, and I have detected a cracked rib which will be fixed with a potion right away." She quickly gave the healing medicine, then nodded over to the Floo. "Go and get some rest, the both of you."

"No!" Draco yelled, shooting up. Poppy backed up sharply, surprised at the outburst. Draco stood in front of Ginny, protective, but the crazed look in his eye suggested his fear of returning to Severus' quarters. The Severus realised why.

"Draco, you don't have to go back to my rooms, of course not. I have been given replacement rooms that I will be moving back into tonight, so you can stay there with me. I have been assured that Mr Zabini has not returned to school, and that the Headmaster has put as many wards on the apartments as he can. I will, of course, be adding my own, more intricate wards. I will not leave the two of you alone in the rooms. I will keep you safe, Draco." He rose and walked to his godson who had once again started trembling. "Poppy, get two Sleeping Draughts and fix them up. I want to take them to wherever it is we now call home." He pulled Draco into a tight hug, and Poppy acquiesced. Soon, the trio were in the foreign chambers with Dumbledore.

"Mr Malfoy, I presume you have told Severus about what happened at the Manor?" Albus asked, guiding Ginny to a seat by the fire. Draco nodded and collected himself.

"Ginny told the tale while we were in the Infirmary, but there is one thing we left out." He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Severus, Ginny and I decided to get married."

Professor Snape smiled at the slight anxiety his godson displayed when telling him the news, and embraced the young man again.

"Well done, Draco, my congratulations to you both. Now I would ask you more about it but I am afraid I have a meeting to attend and you have to get lots of rest. I have been assured that you will get the next week off, so be prepared to be confined to your bed, the both of you. Poppy will be here." The Potions Master pressed his lips to Ginny's forehead, put a hand on Draco's shoulder, and let them leave. "Let's go, Albus. It would be better for me to break the news to Molly, instead of Draco feeling her wrath."

"On the contrary, dear boy, Draco needs to show Molly and Arthur that he is strong and unafraid. If you told them it would seem that he cannot fight his own battles, something which is entirely untrue."

When Severus returned, late, after the Order meeting, he slipped his head into the room where Draco and Ginny slept, to see them curled up together, safe and sound. Everything was going to be alright.


End file.
